When Will It Stop?
by shy-n-great
Summary: COMPLETE - The trio are out of school and in hiding. Voldemort is after Harry and is on the verge of finding him. What are Harry's plans if he is found? Read and find out. Please review. Enjoy
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer:** I solemnly swear that I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. But I do own Ally the house-elf.

**A/N:** This is my first fan fiction. Please review and if you don't like it, I'll do something else but if you want to know more then say and I will post the next chapter tomorrow. You have 24 hours to decide. I hope you enjoy. Happy reading.

Chapter One  
  
Harry awoke in a cold sweat. He'd had that nightmare again. Well, it wasn't actually a nightmare, more like a replay of watching Sirius die. It had been five years now and he was still dreaming about it.  
  
He looked at his watch. Half past seven. It was time to get up anyway. Harry got himself dressed and went downstairs. Ron was at the kitchen table reading the paper.  
  
Hermione was busy trying to persuade their house-elf, Ally, to eat breakfast with them. If Hermione had her way, they would never have got a house-elf but Harry and Ron out voted her. She reluctantly agreed to one but only if they paid her.  
  
"Hermione, will you leave Ally alone, you're scaring her." Ron scolded. Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to Ally but she had gone. Harry laughed. Hermione sighed and sat down at the table.  
  
"Morning Harry. Sleep well?" Hermione asked while putting some toast onto her plate.  
  
"Not too bad. I had that dream again." He told them. He poured himself a cup of tea and sat with his friends.  
  
"You've got to stop blaming yourself, Harry." Hermione told him. She looked at him sympathetically. He hated it when she looked like that at him. He didn't want anyone feeling sorry for him.  
  
Harry looked at Ron and found him silently crying.  
  
"Ron, what's wrong?" Harry asked. Ron pushed the paper to him and pointed to a small article at the side of the page. Hermione read it with him and burst into tears instantly. Harry put his arm round her.  
  
"Why wasn't this on the front page?" Harry asked angrily to no one in particular. "This should have been bigger news."  
  
Voldemort had struck again and this time their friend Neville had paid the price. Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone into hiding. Harry because Voldemort was out to kill him and Ron and Hermione had gone to keep him company, for the sake of his sanity. Neville had been their secret-keeper.  
  
"You don't think he told him, do you?" Hermione sniffed.  
  
"Never." Ron slammed his fist on the table. "He would rather die than tell You-Know-Who anything." Hermione tutted.  
  
"Why won't you say his name, Ron?" She asked wiping her tears away.  
  
"Because he doesn't deserve to have his name said."  
  
"Grow up, Ron."  
  
Hermione got up and stormed out. Ron shook his head at her.  
  
"This needs to stop now." Harry stated.  
  
"Any suggestions?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry shook his head. He was completely deflated. He was so angry with himself. The one person he had always relied on not fearing Voldemort and he was gone.  
  
Dumbledore was fearless right to the end, two years ago. But what did Harry do when he died? He ran away and went into hiding rather than stand up to him and stop him killing everyone he called family.  
  
'This stops now.' He thought to himself.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
Harry and Ron found Hermione curled up on the couch staring into space, absent-mindedly stroking Crookshanks.  
  
"Come here, Hermione." Ron told her. She slowly got up and walked over to him. Ron pulled her into a big hug and she broke down sobbing.  
  
"When is it going to stop?" She wailed.  
  
"Ssssh." Ron stroked her hair. Harry looked at them and sighed. They were obviously meant for each other but everything that was going on was stopping them. Also the fact that they were blind to each other's feelings for each other wasn't helping much. God knows, they needed each other right now.  
  
"I'm going to send an owl McGonagall." Harry informed them. Ron just nodded still comforting Hermione.  
  
He went upstairs to his bedroom. Harry looked up at the ceiling. There were two large beams about fifteen inches from the ceiling. One was for Hedwig and the other was for Weldon. Hedwig had gone into early retirement last year when she had been intercepted. Her wing had been so badly broken that no amount of magical remedies could repair it fully. Now she could only fly for a few minutes at a time so Harry decided it was best to get a new owl to do the post.  
  
Hedwig wasn't too happy with Weldon at first but then realising that she couldn't get the job done herself, she finally accepted him.  
  
Weldon was busy preening himself on his bar. He was a snowy owl like Hedwig but extremely vain. Hedwig wasn't on her bar but when Harry looked down he found her on the windowsill, huffing and puffing. She had obviously just about made it back from hunting for mice.  
  
"Need help, Hedwig?" asked Harry, offering her his arm. She stepped on it and he lifted her up for her to hop onto her bar. Harry hated that she was like this. She used to be so proud and independent.  
  
"Fancy a job, Weldon?" He softly hooted and flew down onto his shoulder. Harry sat down at his desk and quickly scribbled a note on some parchment.  
  
Minerva  
  
We have just read about Neville. Why has no one sent us an owl?  
What is going on out there?  
  
Harry  
  
"Remember, Weldon, if you think you are being followed then try and get rid of the letter and go straight to Hogwarts' owlery and stay there. Come back when McGonagall thinks it is safe for you to come back. Understand?" Weldon hooted in response but when he looked up he found Weldon looking in the mirror. "Weldon, are you listening to me?"  
  
Weldon looked at Harry and held his leg out for him to tie the note. "If you mess this up then I will give you to Hagrid. That's a promise. He won't stand for you staring in the mirror all the time." Weldon hooted quite loudly in protest and flew out the window.  
  
Harry sighed and sat on his bed. Something needs to be done. No more running away.  
  
He went downstairs and found Ron and Hermione in the kitchen going through their photo album. Hermione looked up. Her face was all red and blotchy from crying.  
  
"I'm going to miss him too." Harry said to her.  
  
"Me too." Ron added. Hermione just nodded.  
  
"How do you feel about doing some research?" Harry asked them. Ron groaned and Hermione clapped her hands in excitement. It was the first time Harry had seen her happy in a couple of months. 


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** I really do not own any of these characters except Weldon and Ally. JK Rowling, the lucky thing, has the rights to anything Harry Potter

**A/N** Still no reviews. Please review even if it is just to say, your story is crap.

Chapter Three  
  
Harry told them about how there was going to be no more hiding. Neville had paid dearly by them hiding and it was going to stop now. They had been quite slack on their magic lately. They never went out anywhere much and Ally did most things around the house so there was never a need to use it.  
  
They got together all the books they had in the house, which was a considerable amount thanks to Hermione. Harry told them they were going to research on every harmful curse possible that was close to the unforgivable curses. They were even going to practice the imperious curse if push came to shove. He also told his friends that they were to make a note on every little thing they found about Voldemort, this way they would be able to find any weaknesses. Although Harry thought it probably unlikely that they would find any weaknesses, with every encounter Harry had had with him, Harry came out worse for wear and just about escaping death. Voldemort, however, would just laugh at any sort of curse Harry threw at him.  
  
They started with the basic jinxing curses and they were all surprised at how rusty there magic was. Even Hermione was on the verge of tears when she realised that the best she could muster up was an extremely mild cheering charm when what she was actually trying to do was put the binding curse on Harry.  
  
"I don't get it. I expected my magic to be a little rusty but not as bad as this." Hermione wailed.  
  
"Come on, Hermione. What did you expect? We've been locked up for a year and used our magic three or four times at the most. Once we get into the swing of things it'll be easier." Harry tried to comfort her with this knowledge but it didn't work.  
  
"Yeah, but when I started at Hogwarts I did everything perfectly first time round."  
  
"Hermione, you were eleven years old then, all kids pick things up ten times easier than a twenty year old would. Just be thankful you can still remember them and are not completely in the dark unlike Harry and me who can't even remember the words to some of them never mind the wand action." Hermione nodded in agreement with Ron.  
  
"I suppose you're right. Well let's keep going then. I want to be able to do at least twenty hexes before the day's finished."  
  
It was nearing on midnight when they were all able to put some serious hexes on each other. Ron was still wincing from the boils Harry had cursed him with. He couldn't move for an hour before Hermione finally remembered the removal spell.  
  
Harry was ready for bed but Hermione was having none of it. Now that they had mustered the simple curses and hexes, it was time they moved onto the more serious stuff. Starting with the imperious curse. Harry had always been able to throw it off but had never been able to use it should the time come when he needed to use it against a Death Eater. Ron and Hermione still needed to master how to throw it off and use it.  
  
It took them into the early hours of the morning and they still hadn't made much progress. Finally throwing her wand, Hermione agreed that it could be down to tiredness. Relenting to the tiredness they all fell asleep on the couch, leaning upon one another.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
Harry awoke with the start. Yet again, there was that dream about Sirius. His vision was blurry. He started to panic, where was he? He felt something move on his face. Going to grab it found he couldn't move his arms. He started to struggle against his restraints when he heard a familiar female voice.  
  
"Harry, you're hurting me."  
  
His heart stopped racing, it was Hermione. Finally getting his left arm free he felt for what was moving round his face. Thank God, it was his glasses. Placing them back into position, he looked around at his surroundings. He was in the living room, on the couch with his best friends. He was half lay down with his legs across Hermione's lap, who was now sitting up looking irritated. He looked to his right arm and found it was underneath Ron. He was lay on his stomach, half hanging off the couch, whimpering.  
  
"Grab my hand, Hermione." He instructed her. She did as she was told while trying to stifle a yawn. Gripping onto her with all his might, he braced himself to pull his other arm free. With one big tug, his arm came free from underneath Ron, sending him rolling onto the floor.  
  
"Ouch." Came the muffled sound from Ron. Harry and Hermione sat up properly to look at him. He was lay face down, not moving.  
  
"Sorry, Ron." Harry apologised. They both got off the couch to help him up off the floor. There was a loud crack. Surprised by the noise they all grabbed a wand from the coffee table. Looking around they found nothing, then they suddenly heard a whining. Harry looked down and found Ally cowering at his feet.  
  
"Sorry, Ally." Hermione bent down to pull her into a standing position.  
  
"No, it is Ally's fault for scaring miss and masters. Ally is bad house- elf." She went to batter her head against the coffee table.  
  
"Ally, stop that. You did nothing wrong." Hermione said trying to comfort her. Ally looked like she was about to burst into tears.  
  
"Miss is so kind." She sniffed. "Ally is coming to tell you that breakfast is ready."  
  
"Thank you. Please, will you join us?" Hermione pleaded. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes as they watched the conversation.  
  
"Ally cannot. It is not becoming of a house-elf, miss. Ally has work to be doing." On that last note there was a crack and she was gone. Hermione tutted and stood up.  
  
"I wish you would leave her alone. She's happy doing what she knows best. Looking after us." Ron ducked when Hermione went to clip him across the head.  
  
"I'm going to see if Weldon has come back yet." Harry ran up the stairs to his bedroom and there was Weldon, admiring himself in the mirror. "For crying out loud, Weldon. Give me that note." The owl hooted and stuck out his leg. Harry walked over and untied the note from his leg. Weldon then proceeded to turn from side to side. "You really could have given Lockhart a run for his money." Harry sat on his bed and read the note.  
  
Harry  
  
You need to get out. We believe Neville may have been given  
veritaserum. We cannot be sure so it is best that you come straight  
to Hogwarts.  
Time is of the essence.  
  
Minerva.  
  
Harry felt as though his heart had sunk to the pit of his stomach. Had they been found? He looked around his bedroom, wondering what to do next. He felt something in his hand. A wand. Not his though. He raced down the stairs and straight into the kitchen.  
  
"What took you? The food is starting to go cold." Hermione scolded between mouthfuls of scrambled eggs. Harry looked around wildly searching for his wand. Hermione had it in her pocket.  
  
"Hermione, I need my wand." She looked down at the one she had.  
  
"Oh. Here you go." She handed it to him and he threw the one he had on the table. Ron looked up from the paper.  
  
"Harry, what's the – what's happening?" He asked quickly dropping his anger at the look on Harry's face.  
  
"Neville may have been given veritaserum. We need to go to Hogwarts. Now." Hermione gasped and dropped her fork. 


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer:** I really do not own anything Harry Potter related apart from a couple of DVD's CD's and the books. JK Rowling, the lucky devil, owns Harry Potter.

**A/N**. Thanks Squirrelsaretakingovertheworld (my what a long name) Animagus Brushtail, Angul-gurl, VoldemortsVeela and aschowin for my reviews. I'm glad you are liking the story. Have to say this chapter may be a little boring but bear with me on this one. However, I still want reviews.........please review. It's not pretty when I beg. OK, I'm done rambling. Enjoy.

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Chapter Five  
  
"Hermione, this is no time to be packing neatly." Harry scolded as he helped her pack her stuff. Harry was going round the room placing shrinking charms on every item in sight. At first it started out badly. Not one thing would shrink. The item would just shudder then sit there. He even managed to make her bedside cabinet giggle and run away. Then he finally got the flick off his wand right and it was like he was a dab hand at it.  
  
Ron was in his room making very loud noises doing goodness knows what to get things packed. Harry pointed his wand at the chest of drawers and flung everything out on to the bed, including, to Hermione's embarrassment, all her underwear.  
  
"Harry, I would like some dignity out of all of this." She pointed her wand at the pictures on her shelf and sent them flying to the trunk, one managed to clip Harry's ear on the way.  
  
"HERMIONE!"  
  
"Sorry." Harry shrunk the now empty chest of draws and her wardrobe. Hermione flicked her wand to send her clothes into the trunk, making them all fold themselves.  
  
"Hermione, stop it, just throw them in." He then proceeded to shrink her bed and then fling all her miniature furniture into the trunk.  
  
"Careful, Harry. I don't want to find my bed has three legs when we unpack."  
  
"Now my room." He said ignoring her comment. "Come on." They were getting out of breath from rushing around but they couldn't lose anymore time. God only knows how long Weldon had been at that blasted mirror for.  
  
Harry's room didn't take as long as Hermione's. He didn't have half the books and clothes that Hermione had. Even though his room was a complete mess with most of his clothes on the floor, Hermione was still folding things. Harry gave up and just carried on shrinking everything in sight haphazardly. When everything was packed he shouted Weldon down from his beam but the owl just turned his back on Harry and carried on sleeping. "You'll go in your cage if you don't come down here now." Harry threatened. At the mention of cage, Weldon flew down on to Harry's shoulder. Walking him over to the window, he just simply said to him, "Hogwarts and don't leave there." Weldon hooted as he flew out of the window.  
  
"Hedwig," Hermione called up to her. The owl looked down. "We need you to get in your cage." Harry grabbed it off the side and held it up for her to just hop in. She did as she was told.  
  
"It's probably best if you sit at the bottom, it's going to be a rough ride." Harry explained to her. She obeyed the command she was given. "Hermione, can you cushion her cage for her while I help Ron?" Hermione nodded.  
  
Harry was absolutely shocked to discover the scene unfolding in Ron's bedroom.  
  
"Harry, stop laughing and help me." Ron begged. He was fighting of his bed which was standing up on to legs and making what sound like kissing noises. "Come on, before it smothers me." Harry did the only thing he was good at....he shrunk it. So now it was a mini bed that wanted to smother Ron. "Now what am I meant to do with it?"  
  
"Sorry, it's the only thing I could think of. Here just wrap it up in your clothes and throw it in your trunk." Harry looked around at what needed to be done and surprisingly, everything was packed apart from his clothes and the moving mini bed. Harry pointed his wand in all directions shrinking everything that was too big to fit into the trunk which nearly included Ron.  
  
After everything was packed, Ron grabbed Pig out of his cage and did his usual trick of throwing him out of the window while the poor owl was unaware. Pig quickly regained his composure and started flying around in circles by the window.  
  
"Go to Hogwarts. We'll be there soon." Pig turned around and flew into the distance. "Who'd thought packing could be so tiring?" Ron asked rhetorically.  
  
"Let's get the trunks into my room, the window is bigger, so it is easier to get out of."  
  
"Why can't we go out through the front door?"  
  
"Because we can't risk just being seen getting on a broom and flying off in the middle of the street. This is a muggle town, Ron. I think they might just suspect."  
  
Ron and Harry heaved Ron's and Hermione's trunks into Harry's room and found her telling Ally to go to Hogwarts. With a loud crack, she was gone. Then an unfamiliar sound, one they hadn't heard in months. It was a scream. Harry ran to his window and found Death Eaters walking up the street.  
  
"We have to go, now." Harry told them struggling to keep his fear hidden. "ACCIO FIREBOLT" There was a zipping sound and then in swooped the broom.  
  
"Harry, that broom won't get you very far." Ron told him.  
  
"It hasn't failed me yet. Besides who is going to take the trunks, not one of us know how to send them to Hogwarts and we have no time to practice." Hermione went to argue but Harry continued. "Apparate there, I'll get the stuff there. Just do me a favour, put a flying charm on the trunks." Hermione stepped forward for the challenge, while Harry hooked Hedwig's cage onto his broom. There was a bang downstairs. "GO!"  
  
"But what about the stuff downstairs?" Ron asked.  
  
"Forget it, we've got everything we need. NOW GO!" There some scuffling coming downstairs.  
  
"Harry, the photo album. It's all we've got left of our friends." Hermione was on the verge of tears.  
  
"Leave it to me, just please go." They disappeared with two popping noises. Harry hovered his broom. "ACCIO PHOTOALBUM" He roared. While waiting for it he pushed the levitating trunks out of the window. He heard people coming up the stairs. "Come on." There was that familiar sound and in flew the photo album, followed by three Death Eaters. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer:** yada yada yada.....I do not own and never will own Harry Potter and co.

**A/N:**Thanks again to Squirrelsaretakingovertheworld for reviewing again. I love your name. Too right they are taking over the world. Also thanks to Sparrow Greenleaf...as you asked, here is more. (I feel like i'm making an acceptance speech here......I love it anyway) Also, thanks Nicky for taking the time to read my fanfic. Come on people....i want more reviews, then you get to see your name up here......go on......you can do it.

Chapter Six  
  
Harry grabbed the flying photo album and with all his might threw the most powerful hex he could that he had practiced the night before. It worked on the middle one, he was now wobbling all over the place thanks to his new jelly-legs. The other two jumped out of the way. Harry jumped on his broom and zoomed out of the window. The broom wasn't as fast as it use to be but it got him far enough to be out of reach from most curses they threw at them. He turned around remembering he had left the trunks. Green streaks were coming towards him from his bedroom window but any that managed to get near him he dodged.  
  
"ACCIO TRUNKS" The trunks slowly got to him but not before he was nearly knocked of his broom by yet another curse. Pointing his wand at the trunks, which were now underneath him, he tied them invisibly to his broom. His broom dropped a little from the weight of three trunks and Hedwig's cage. "Point." He said to his wand and it pointed north.  
  
Taking one last look back, the Death Eaters had gone. He needed to move quickly before they got themselves some brooms.  
  
It took Harry nearly four hours for him to eventually arrive at Hogwarts. It was starting to get dark and when he landed softly at the gates, he found Hermione and Ron cuddled together, leaning against the gates, asleep. He got off his broom and left it across the top of the trunks. He opened Hedwig's cage. "Think you can manage it to the owlery?" She hooted softly and flew out. She flew extremely slow but at least she wasn't dropping height.  
  
"Ahem." He coughed as he walked over to them. Hermione started to stir.  
  
"HARRY!" She shouted getting up and pouncing on him. Ron looked up, wondering what was going on.  
  
"Hermione, I need air." Harry gasped.  
  
"Come on, Hermione. Let go." Ron got up and gently pulled Hermione away. Then turned and hugged him. "You scared me you fool." He pulled away and was then shoved out of the way by Hermione.  
  
"Let me look at you." She started to lift his arms up, move his face around, made him turn around several times and told him to tell her what his parents' names were. Harry did as he was told as she was starting to scare him with her over protectiveness. Happy that it was him, she squeezed the life out of him again but this time he flinched. "What – I didn't hug that hard."  
  
"Hermione, you hug like you're never going to see that person again. So trust me when I say, you hurt when you hug." Hermione went to hit him but he dodged out of the way.  
  
"Shirt up." She demanded of Harry. Harry gingerly pulled up his sweatshirt and t-shirt. Hermione gasped. Harry couldn't look at what she was gasping at.  
  
"Is it bad, Ron?" Ron just gawped open mouthed. "Ron?"  
  
"You need to get to Madam Pomfrey. Ron, you get the stuff to the castle." Harry pulled his shirt and sweatshirt back down as Hermione pulled him towards the castle.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer:**Oh what it would be like to own Harry Potter........but I don't....so there.

**A/N:**Thanks supernova8610 for coming over here to read my sad little fan fic. How's everyone holding up with my story. Review and let me know......it could be....... faults.......it's too slow......it's boring........it's rubbish.......anything.....just let me know..........You see that........you have me begging now.......and it's not a pretty sight. Oh well, enjoy my latest chapter.  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
"You lot will worry about your material things." Madam Pomfrey scolded. Harry was looking in the mirror, shirtless. He thought nothing had hit him but how very wrong was he?  
  
His whole torso looked as though he had been trampled on by a hundred hippogriffs. There were cuts and black bruises all over. Harry was totally confused.  
  
"I didn't think they had hit me with anything. I didn't feel a thing." Harry carried on looking at the mirror.  
  
"Potter, get on that bed right now so I can mend those bones." Madam Pomfrey was not one to argue with so he walked straight to the bed and lay on it. Madam Pomfrey started bustling around a trolley with all sorts of medicines on it, by the hospital wing entrance.  
  
"How could you not feel anything, Harry?" Hermione asked as she settled into a chair by his bed.  
  
"I don't know. I'm not even sure what they were throwing at me."  
  
"Potter, this is the doing of a bone breaker curse." Madam Pomfrey told him matter-of-factly. She put something down then turned around and headed towards Harry.  
  
"Since when do those exist?" Harry asked confused. He could tell by the look Hermione's face that she was just as confused.  
  
"Drink this." She pushed a cup of something blue into his hand. Sitting up he took it in one gulp. It annoyingly tickled his throat as it went down making him want to cough. Madam Pomfrey snatched the cup off him and bustled back to the trolley.  
  
"What was that?" Harry asked between forced coughs to stop the tickling.  
  
"Bruise healing potion. Stop coughing, you'll agitate yourself even more." She came back with two more cups of potions. She placed them on the bedside cabinet and pulled her wand out from her apron. "Lie flat, Potter." As he lay down she pointed her wand at his bare, battered torso and muttered an incantation. Harry's chest felt tingly and then instantly felt lighter than it had in a couple of hours. "There, the bruises should be gone by morning. But in the meantime, drink these." She picked the cups up and gave him the purple one.  
  
"What's this?" He asked looking at quizzically.  
  
"Internal healing potion. We don't know how damaged you are inside."  
  
"But I feel much better now that you have healed my ribs."  
  
"Drink, Potter." She growled. Harry gulped it in one. After the seven years in this school, he knew never to sip. He had barely taken the cup away from his lips when she snatched it off him and pushed the next one into his hand.  
  
"What's this one?"  
  
"Dreamless sleep potion." She was clearly getting aggravated by his constant questions.  
  
"Why do I need this one?"  
  
"Because you need to be still while the other two potions take affect. Miss Granger and I will be going to see Professor McGonagall." Harry was about to say something but she stopped him. "You can speak to her in the morning. She knows you are here, safe and well, but she is extremely busy at the moment. Now drink." Harry drank the potion and felt himself instantly fall into a deep sleep as he finished it.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Mr Harry Potter and Company. But i do own Ally, Weldon and this plot, not that it gets me lots of money.

**A/N:**I have no one to thank because I have had no reviews. Is it really that bad people? Go on....tell me it's bad.....you know you wanna.

Chapter Eight  
  
Harry awoke to whispers around him. He kept his eyes half shut. He wasn't ready to open them fully yet.  
  
"He's waking up."  
  
"I can see that, I'm not blind."  
  
"Stop it you two. Honestly, behave yourselves and just be quiet." He knew that voice. But who was it? He opened his eyes fully and sat up. Everything was blurry. He reached to the side for his glasses but nearly fell of the bed when he found that nothing was there. "Here you go, Harry." Said another voice as he was handed his glasses. Harry put his glasses on and looked around. Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George and Professor McGonagall were all stood around his bed. "Harry, I've missed you so much." Mrs. Weasley bent down and held him tightly. When she pulled away, he smiled up at her and she returned the smile but it didn't reach her eyes. This wasn't the same Mrs. Weasley that he had left four months ago.  
  
"What's happened?" Harry asked quickly.  
  
"I think it's best if you get your shirt and shoes on and we'll go to my office to talk." Professor McGonagall handed him his stuff and ushered everyone outside. Harry raced to put on his stuff, he felt a little stiff but then he had had some sort of battering hex put on him.  
  
Just as Harry got to the entrance, someone called his name.  
  
"Stop right there, Potter." Harry turned around to see Madam Pomfrey bustling towards him. "Shirt up." So that's where Hermione got her manners from, he thought to himself. She examined him very carefully then stood up straight. "You haven't healed fully yet so I expect you straight back here after you have spoken to Minerva. Is that understood?" Harry nodded, feeling like a little boy again.  
  
Harry met the others outside and they instantly all started walking down the corridor.  
  
"Where are Hermione and Ron?" Harry asked, jogging to keep up with everyone. He wasn't in the mood to walk quickly but they seemed to be insisting on it.  
  
"They're in my office." Professor McGonagall informed him.  
  
They walked in complete silence until they reached the stone gargoyle. Professor McGonagall said the password and they all crowded onto the moving staircase. Harry was the last one to walk in the office. He found Hermione and Ron hugging. Hermione looked absolutely devastated and was crying hysterically. Seeing Harry, she let go of Ron and walked over to Harry. She flung her arms round his neck and clung on like she was trying to grab something back. Harry looked over to Ron and found him looking lost. Harry motioned for him to come over. Hugging both of them tightly, Ron started to break down. Mrs. Weasley moved to take Ron but Harry stopped her. Whatever it was that had happened, he needed to be the one to comfort his friends, it was the least he owed them. They had followed him to the brink of death and back, nothing was going to break up this trio.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter and Co. not mine. Ally and Weldon mine...........so there we go.

**A/N:** Here is the next chapter. You can now find out why they were crying. No people to thank again.........oh well.........you know the drill........enjoy the chapter and try to review please.

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Chapter Nine  
  
Harry sat on a chair in front over Professor McGonagall's desk. Hermione and Ron were sat on either side of him. He gripped onto their hands with all his might. Harry saw that Fawkes was still here, happily sleeping.  
  
Harry felt as though his ribs were broken again and he couldn't breathe. His head was banging from all the information he had been given. He wanted to run, scream, anything, just to make it not true.  
  
Hermione's parents......dead.  
  
Ginny Weasley........dead.  
  
Arthur Weasley........dead.  
  
Tonks..........missing.  
  
Remus Lupin...........missing.  
  
Bill Weasley........missing.  
  
Charlie Weasley.........missing.  
  
The muggles on Harry's street that he had just left........most of them dead.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why didn't you tell Ron and Hermione sooner? Did they not deserve to be at their funerals?" Harry was struggling to keep his voice from breaking. Hermione was sobbing hysterically again, leaning in to Harry. Harry kept a firm hold of both of his friend's hands. This was all his fault, he should have just let Voldemort kill him. He wouldn't be killing everyone he had come to call family.  
  
"We have found something very incredible linking you and Voldemort. We needed to keep you safe so that we could be sure of it." Professor McGonagall explained. Harry just stared at her, silent tears falling down his face. She continued. "If we had told you then you would have come out of hiding, risking yours, Hermione's and Ron's lives."  
  
Harry looked at her waiting for her to explain what the link was. She didn't continue. Harry looked around at the three Weasleys behind him. Fred and George's mischief had disappeared from their eyes. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing quietly into her handkerchief.  
  
"Well.......what's the link?" Harry urged, forcing back a fresh wave of tears.  
  
"I can't tell you yet. We're not completely sure on the information we have found. Albus had talked about it but we were never sure till we found a diary he kept about you."  
  
"Here we go again. Dumbledore stopped telling me things I need to know because he thought he was protecting me. Look where it got him." Harry was starting to raise his voice. Hermione pulled at his hand to keep from going any further.  
  
"Harry, we really need to be sure of this link before we give you the information. It really is a matter of life and death. If we tell you now, you'll be brash about it and do something you'll regret in revenge for those you loved. Just give me some time, that's all I ask of you."  
  
"Fine." He huffed. "Where are we going to stay though?"  
  
"A classroom has been set up as a temporary bedroom. It's on the fifth floor. I'll take you now. You'll have to say goodbye to Molly, Fred and George. They have to be getting back to Grimmauld Place." Harry stood up with Hermione and Ron. They all hugged each other and Harry, Ron, and Hermione all followed Professor McGonagall out of the office, leaving behind the three Weasleys.  
  
"Why can't we go back with them?" Harry asked as the walked down the corridor.  
  
"It's safer for you here."  
  
They walked to their makeshift bedroom in silence. Every once in a while, Hermione's sobs broke the silence.  
  
As they walked in, they saw three beds with their trunks at the end of them. There was a small table with three squashy chairs around it by the fireplace. It looked warm and comforting but it didn't feel it.  
  
"Ally will be here soon with some food for you." Professor McGonagall told them as she walked out, closing the door behind her. They all looked at the door blankly. Harry could feel a lump start to form in his throat. He felt Hermione slide down to her knees and break down into a fresh wave of hysteria. Ron and Harry fell down beside her and gripped on to her. They all hung onto each other desperately, crying into each others arms, hoping for some peace.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer:**If I really owned Harry and Co. then I would be off spending some of the money I'd earnt from it but I don't so I'm here writing a pretend one. Oh yeah....JK Rowling owns them.

**A/N:**I have people to thank. It's wonderful to get reviews. It's great knowing that people are reading my story and the fact that you like it as well is an even bigger bonus. Ok, well I would like to thank: **halfelven -** I have been bordering on depression writing this but then I whack on a lively song and I'm good to go. **PinkSmurf04 -** You really think I'm a terrific writer....that means so much to me. Maybe I should go on Fiction Press and put some of my original stuff on there. **supernova8610 -** I know, I felt bad writing it, but then I got over it because I'm just plain evil. I'll be over to IMDB soon with this story. Well that is everyone. Come on everyone......you know you want to review........see..........it's that ugly sight of me begging again. Enjoy!

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Chapter Ten  
  
They were still crying when there was a knock at the door, which caused them to jump. Harry got up with Ron and helped Hermione up. Ron kept hold of her as Harry went to open the door. He jumped to the side as Ally walked in with a tray of sandwiches, a jug of pumpkin juice and three glasses. Hermione rushed over to take the tray off her. She walked over to the table by the fire and placed the tray on it.  
  
"Ally, how are you? Are you being treated well?" Hermione sniffed as she turned around and knelt down to her. Harry smiled through his tears. Even when her heart was breaking she was still thinking of others.  
  
"Headmistress is treating Ally very kindly. Headmistress is giving Ally a room of her very own. Ally is making headmistress take money for the room though." Ally looked at Hermione with great concern. "Ally is seeing miss has been crying." Hermione sighed.  
  
"It's ok, Ally, but why are you paying for your room. You should use your wages to buy things for yourself." Ally looked horrified.  
  
"Oh no, miss. Ally is paying her way." Then she scuttled out of the room. Hermione was about to go after her when she stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"What- What is it?" Ron asked panicked. Harry looked to where Hermione was looking but couldn't see anything.  
  
"I forgot about Crookshanks."  
  
"Hermione," Harry started gently, "I don't think-"  
  
"No. I didn't leave him behind." She rushed over to her trunk at the end of the middle bed. Harry and Ron looked bewildered. "I transfigured him rather than put him through a rough journey and I forgot about him." She flung her trunk open and pulled out a large orange blanket.  
  
"But how could you do that sort of magic when you were struggling with a simple hex just the other night?" Ron asked wiping away the tears that were left on his face with the sleeve of his jumper.  
  
"I do spells better when I'm under pressure." Ron shook his head in disbelief. Hermione took her wand out from her pocket and placing the blanket on the bed, she pointed her wand at it. "Felineti." The blanket quickly transformed back into Crookshanks. "I'm so sorry." She stepped forward to stroke him but he jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. Harry closed the door after him for more privacy. He turned to Hermione to find she was on the verge of tears again. Suddenly, a thought struck him. Not realising this wasn't the time to ask but he just had to.  
  
"Hey, how come you didn't do that for Hedwig? She could have done with an easy ride." Hermione was starting to sob now as he asked. Ron was about to comfort her when suddenly the door flung open.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own any of them.

**A/N:**Thanks to supernova again. I really appreciate it. I'll will get over to you soon and return the favour. You know the drill everyone......please review.

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Chapter Eleven  
  
"POTTER!" Madam Pomfrey growled dangerously from the door. "I specifically told you to come straight back to the hospital wing. You need more treatment."  
  
"I'm sorry if I found my friends more important." Harry kept his voice steady. He was angry at her for being so insensitive. Hermione was starting sob uncontrollably again. Both Harry and Ron went over to comfort her. Madam Pomfrey's expression softened.  
  
"Yes, well, the three of you need to come with me now. With your night clothes." She instructed. The three did as they were told. They dug out their pyjamas from their trunks and followed her out of the room, all the while, Hermione was silently crying. Harry and Ron moved to either side of her and put their arms around her. Harry looked across at Ron and found he had steady tears streaming down his face. He had never seen Ron cry before today and it broke his heart to see him like that.  
  
When they got to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey told them to get dressed behind a set of curtains. They took it in turns and the only sound that could be heard was Madam Pomfrey clinking bottles together and walking around.  
  
Harry was the last one to get changed and when he came round from behind the curtains, he found Ron and Hermione stood together, both looking slightly dazed. Harry looked around and found that there was no one else there.  
  
"Been a quiet period, has it?" Harry asked.  
  
"It's the summer holidays, Potter." She told him as she walked over to the trio. Was it really the summer already? "Come on, into bed you three."  
  
"But Hermione and I are fine." Ron said very huskily, sounding like he had a cold.  
  
"No, you're not, Weasley. Look at the state of you both." Ron didn't argue when she pushed him towards a bed. He climbed into the bed that he had been pushed towards and Harry got in the one next to him. Hermione had stayed rooted to the spot and was swaying slightly. "Come on, Miss Granger. Let's get you tucked in." She started guiding her towards the empty bed on Ron's other side.  
  
"But it's not dark outside." She mumbled quietly like a child.  
  
"I know. Now, on to the bed." Hermione climbed up on to the bed and got under the blankets. Madam Pomfrey started to tuck her in as she lay down. "It'll get better, I promise." She whispered to Hermione and then gave her a quick hug. Harry had never seen Madam Pomfrey be so affectionate before.  
  
"How come you're here during the summer holidays?" Harry asked, the thought only just reaching his tired and cried out brain.  
  
"Professor McGonagall asked me to come in when she got an owl from you; just in case and it's a good job she did." She bustled over in her usual manner to her potions trolley.  
  
"What do you mean 'just in case'?" Harry asked.  
  
"Just in case." Was her only reply back to him. She picked up to cups and went to Hermione. "Drink this." Hermione did as she was told and the second she finished what was in it, she fell asleep. Madam Pomfrey then moved on to Ron. "Lye down, Mr. Weasley." Ron lay down and took the cup that she had handed to him. The same happened to Ron, the second he finished drinking the contents, he was asleep. She went back over to her trolley, placed the cups on them then went over to Harry. "Lye down and top up." She instructed to him. She poked his torso a few times making him flinch from the pain.  
  
"I thought you healed me." Harry was confused. The pain that he was feeling was just as bad as when he had first arrived.  
  
"The curses must have been worse than I thought, Harry." Harry panicked immediately, he couldn't remember the last time she had used his first name, if she ever had used it. "I need to knock you out for a couple of days. It seems moving around is making it worse. Is that understood?"  
  
"But Ron and Hermione. I need to be with them right now. It's my f-"Harry was starting to get agitated now.  
  
"Harry, please keep still. I'll keep them here for the whole time you're here. It'll be just for a day or two." Harry calmed down a little. He took a while to decide on what to do. He finally gave her a nod to signal it was ok.  
  
"Ok." He mumbled. "Promise me you'll look after them."  
  
"They'll be fine. Are you ready?" Harry nodded. She took her wand out from her apron and pointed it at Harry's forehead. "Slumber." Then everything was black.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: **I swear to you, I do not own Harry Potter or his friends.

**A/N: **Sighs No one to thank. Oh well. Enjoy the chapter...........and review if you can......please...........you see how easy it is for me to beg.

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Chapter Twelve  
  
Harry started to wake up. He reached to the side for his glasses but keeping his eyes shut. He felt incredibly drained.  
  
Harry felt someone grab his arm and place it back by his side. Too weak to fight, he let them. He opened his eyes but everything was blurry without his glasses. Suddenly he saw a blob come towards his face. His glasses were placed on him and everything focused very quickly.  
  
Harry found he was in the hospital wing with Ron and Hermione stood together on the left side of his bed, Madam Pomfrey was on the other. Ron and Hermione didn't look as broken down compared to when he last saw them. Madam Pomfrey was smiling at him but she looked as though she hadn't slept in days.  
  
Remembering what happened, he sat up.  
  
"How long was I asleep?" Harry asked. His throat felt very dry and as a result of this his voice was breaking. He took the glass of water that Hermione was offering him.  
  
"It's been nearly two weeks, Harry." Ron answered for the nurse. Harry choked on his drink.  
  
"WHAT!?" Harry shoved the glass back to Hermione. "You said it would be a couple of days, not _weeks._"  
  
"Harry, your injuries were a lot worse than I first thought." Madam Pomfrey explained. Harry threw the blankets off him and swung his legs to the side. He sat there looking at Hermione and Ron. They weren't looking him in the eye.  
  
"How are you two, then?" Harry asked them.  
  
"We're fine, Harry. We've been worried sick about you." Hermione stepped forward and took his hands. She squeezed them gently but she was still not looking him in the eye. She looked like she was about to carry on but Ron gave her a completely obvious nudge to make her stop.  
  
"What's going on?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Nothing, Harry. We're just glad to see you back in the world of the living." Ron playfully punched him on the shoulder. He didn't believe them but it didn't look like they were about to give in.  
  
Madam Pomfrey let Harry go an hour later. He raced to get dressed and left with Ron and Hermione. The trip back to their bedroom was uncomfortable for Harry. He felt like these weren't his same friends, like they weren't happy about being near him.  
  
When they got back to their bedroom, they all sat in the chairs by the fireplace. There was an atmosphere about them. Harry sat looking around the room, wondering what to say. He felt like he didn't belong here anymore. Then it hit him. They had finally begun to blame him for everything. Harry knew it was only a matter of time before they realised that it was his entire fault that everything had happened. Them not seeing their families for months. Finding out that Hermione's parents and Ron's father had been killed and they hadn't even said goodbye to them properly before they left. Constantly on the run. Harry knew they would figure out eventually that their lives would be better without them and now that they had, Harry felt very lost. He had been very wrong about nothing breaking this trio up. Yet again, Voldemort had stepped up and managed to break them apart and there was nothing Harry could do about it because it was his fault.  
  
'Stop that right now.' A voice said in the back of your head. 'Self pity will get you no where. So everything that has happened is all your fault. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and give your best friends the gift that they need right now, for it all to stop.'  
  
Harry got up and started to leave the room.  
  
"Where are you going, Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'm going for a walk." He told her without turning around.  
  
"Do you want us to come with you?" Ron asked as he started to get up.  
  
"No." Harry said firmly as he spun round. "Stay here. No point in making us uncomfortable any longer. I'll leave now so that you don't have to be near me." He stormed out of the room. As he walked down the corridor towards the grand staircase he started to feel guilty. It had come out harsher than he had wanted it but it was how he felt that they were feeling.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer:** Last time I checked, I still didn't own Harry Potter.

**A/N:** On my last chapter I said there was no one to thank.....well I lied. Supernova sent me a review just as I posted it up. So it's double thanks to Supernova for hanging in there with this story. This chapter is a little boring but it takes me where I need to go. I think everyone will like the end of this story, when I eventually post it up...........that's if anyone out there is reading this story. (Taps at computer screen) Is anyone out there? Ahhhh, my ever faithful Supernova. Well, you know what to do.....enjoy.......I should give up on saying review but I won't.............review please.

Chapter Thirteen  
  
Harry spent most of the day wandering around aimlessly around the castle and its grounds. He went past Hagrid's hut but it was empty. Hagrid was in the Far East, fighting the good fight, which was more than could be said of Harry, all he did was hide. He went past the lake and found the squid sunbathing on top of the water. He had to admit, it was a lovely day for it but the weather just didn't have that affect on him. To Harry, it was cold. He sat under a tree for a while. The same one that Ron, Hermione and he would sit under after they had finished an end-of-year exam.  
  
Harry wallowed in his self-pity for a while. He had truly got himself depressed by the time he made his way back up to the castle. He eventually came to the library. He wasn't even sure why he was here but he went in. He went straight to the restricted section but then he realised that it wasn't restricted to him anymore so it wasn't as fun having a nosy round. Plus the librarian wasn't there to catch him either. He walked around the bookshelves, looking at all the different types of books there were. 'Hermione would be in her element here.' Harry thought to himself. 'No one here to make any noise and all the books she could possibly read.' Harry felt a tug at his heart. What had happened to his friends? He'd been gone for most of the day and they don't seem to have bothered to even look for him. Then he realised, he hadn't spoken to McGonagall since the day he was knocked out.  
  
Harry ran all the way to the stone gargoyle. Clutching his side from the stitch, he said the password he had heard McGonagall say. He was half surprised that the gargoyle moved. He'd been expecting the password to be different.  
  
Harry stepped onto the moving staircase. As he reached the top, he heard voices coming from McGonagall's office.  
  
"And he doesn't remember anything that happened?" It sounded like McGonagall's voice. Harry pressed his ear to the door.  
  
"No, but Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are acting odd around him so he knows something has happened. I don't think they see Harry as their friend any more." That was Madam Pomfrey's voice.  
  
"Maybe I should send them to Molly. They are obviously upset by what has happened. I just wish they could understand that it was Voldemort acting out not Harry."  
  
"I think that would be best. Molly would love that, she has missed them so much." There was a long pause. "Minerva."  
  
"No, Poppy. Not yet."  
  
"Minerva, Potter isn't a child anymore and he is no longer your student. You can't protect him anymore. He needs to know. Especially after what has happened."  
  
"I know but there has got to be another way. I will not let that boy die. I promised Albus I wouldn't let anything happen to him. He loved him as though he was his own." She sounded as though she was about to cry. Harry's heart was pounding. What had Voldemort acted out on? "Maybe that was Albus' fault there......caring too much for the boy."  
  
"Is that really the only way we can overcome the Dark Lord?"  
  
"I don't know but it seems to be the only route." She was crying now. There was movement inside. Harry was struggling to comprehend what was being said.  
  
"Don't cry, Minerva."  
  
"I'm sorry, Poppy." She sniffed. "It's just Albus died trying to protect that boy and now we find out that keeping Harry –"  
  
"So does that mean the link you have found is real? Albus had been right all along?"  
  
"And as you've seen yourself, it's a lot stronger than any one could have thought." Harry sank to the floor. What was this link? What had happened in the last two weeks?  
  
"Do you think the Dark Lord knows about it yet?"  
  
"From what we saw last week, I don't think he does but it won't be long till he finds out."  
  
"What do we do?"  
  
Harry got up and barged into the office.  
  
"You can start by telling me everything that has happened." He demanded to the two shocked women. "From the word go people have been hiding stuff from me because they thought they were protecting me. Well it stops now."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer:** Nope......still don't own them.

**A/N:** I'm quite pleased with this chapter........hope you all like it. If you do please review. Super.....thanks again for your review.....I'm glad you are liking it. I'm really enjoying yours and I have reviewed one for you. Everyone.....you know what's next.......please review.

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Chapter Fourteen  
  
Madam Pomfrey left Professor McGonagall's side and walked around the desk.  
  
"I'll leave you to it." As she left she closed the door behind her.  
  
"Please, take a seat, Harry." Professor McGonagall told him. Harry took the seat that was directly in front of the desk.  
  
"I'm sorry that I listened in on your conversation and just barged in but Dumbledore tried to keep things from me to keep me safe but it just ended up killing him. Please tell me what I need to know so that I can keep my frie- no, my family safe." Harry pleaded. Professor McGonagall smiled.  
  
"Your parents would be so proud of you." She smiled at him.  
  
"Proud of what?" Harry scoffed. "I ran away from the first sign of trouble, I took Hermione and Ron away from their families, got their families killed, got Neville and Dumbledore killed and a load of people have gone missing. All this because I couldn't face up to Voldemort."  
  
"Harry, this isn't your fault. Voldemort was killing and kidnapping people long before you were even born."  
  
"I know that but now his target is me and getting rid of me. So that then means that all my friends and family get caught in the crossfire. If Voldemort wasn't after me then they would all have had a chance of never being attacked by him." Harry could feel tears brimming but he wouldn't allow himself to cry. He had done enough of that. Now was the time to act out. Harry looked across at Professor McGonagall to find her giving him a look of sympathy. "Don't look at me like that. I don't want your sympathy. I want you to tell me everything that has happened and what this link is."  
  
"Ok. I must warn you, Harry, that it won't be easy for you to hear this." Harry nodded for her to continue. "Right, well I will start from the beginning. Remus and I had stumbled across some of Albus' diaries while tidying this office after he had died. We were shocked to even discover that he had kept diaries but when we read them, we found them to be more like books of theories rather than diaries. All of them contained you."  
  
"The link that is between Voldemort and I." Harry half suggested to her about the theories.  
  
"That's right. Albus' theories were that when Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a baby, he caused a link between you." Harry nodded in understanding. He remembered when Dumbledore had told him that he believed Voldemort had transferred some of his powers across to him. "He believes the link was completely sealed the night Voldemort was resurrected and he used your blood. However, Albus could never prove the link, if there was one, and how it worked. But then when you started having dreams where Voldemort was in your mind and you could feel what he was feeling, Albus knew there was some sort of link there. He just needed to know what it would mean." Harry nodded in comprehension. He felt as though he knew what was coming but wasn't sure if his mind would be able to handle it.  
  
"You said to Madam Pomfrey that the link had been confirmed. How?"  
  
"When Poppy put you into a deep sleep you started to thrash and get agitated. For three days we had to keep you strapped down. No matter what we tried, we couldn't get you to keep still so that meant Poppy couldn't heal you and you were making your injuries worse. Eventually, you stopped thrashing and started to talk but it wasn't your voice. It was Voldemort's voice. He was having a conversation with someone. It was obvious that he didn't realise that what he said, came out in you too. He was asking someone how he came about to have broken ribs. He said it wasn't possible. No one had the power to harm him like this. Conversations like these went on for a week. Some days he would be quiet and others he seemed to be quite murderous. Twice you were, or rather, Voldemort was heard saying the Avada Kedavra curse. Hermione and Ron were there on both occasions. This is why they are very uncomfortable with you, Harry."  
  
Harry had tears streaming down his face. This was wrong, Harry had never done anything to Voldemort but be born and he was truly paying for it.  
  
"And this link."  
  
"Don't you see, Harry. When you got the broken ribs, so did he. To truly prove it, I'm sorry to say, we broke your arm and that is when it was completely confirmed. Voldemort was venomous. You were screaming and screaming but that should have been impossible. You should never have felt a thing."  
  
"I didn't" Harry sniffed.  
  
"Exactly, but Voldemort did. He started yelling orders to someone to find out who was doing this to him."  
  
"So when anything that happens to me it happens to him?" Professor McGonagall nodded. "Then why doesn't that happen to me when he gets hurt?"  
  
"No one is powerful to hurt Voldemort. The best you can get is when he is feeling very happy or very annoyed."  
  
"Has he worked it out that I share this link with him?"  
  
"It seems he hasn't but it won't be long, Harry. He knows something is going on."  
  
"And you also believe that the key to killing Voldemort is to kill me." Professor McGonagall avoided eye contact with him.  
  
"Yes." She told him after a lengthy pause.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer:** Don't own a bean when it comes to Harry Potter.

**A/N:** Still hanging in there Super? I really appreciate it. Sparrow Greenleaf, who said I was going to kill Harry? Glad to see you're still here reading it. Everyone else.......you know what's coming.........review please............pretty please.

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Chapter Fifteen  
  
Harry felt as though someone had punched him in the stomach. His heart was racing and he felt himself heave.  
  
"Harry, are you ok?" Professor McGonagall asked. Harry nodded. His eyes were searching everywhere. He wasn't sure what he was looking for but he kept searching. His breathing started to quicken, he needed air.  
  
Harry got up and raced around the desk to the window at the back of the room. The window flew open without him touching it. He leant forward and took a deep breath, letting the cool evening air wash over him. It was dark outside. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione since this morning. He didn't blame them if they hadn't looked for him. Especially now that he knew what he had done.  
  
"Harry?" Professor McGonagall was stood behind him with a hand on his shoulder. Harry turned around slowly and gave her a weak smile.  
  
"I'm ok." He walked back around the desk and sat in his seat. "It's not everyday you hear that you have to die to protect your family." He said sadly. Professor McGonagall sat back down at her desk.  
  
"You don't have to die to kill Voldemort, Harry. Other ways will be found. Voldemort has to have weaknesses." She was saying it more pleadingly rather than matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm his weakness. The only way he can be killed." Harry looked around the room. It was the same as when Dumbledore had the office. Only it seemed to be more organised and it now had a painting of Dumbledore up on the wall with the many other head teachers of Hogwarts. He watched Dumbledore's painting and found him to be staring down at Harry, smiling. His eyes were sparkling with mischief. Just watching the painting seemed to put Harry at ease.  
  
"Harry, promise me you won't do anything silly. I know you want to protect your family, what person wouldn't but please don't make any hasty decisions. We will find another way." Harry just nodded. "I haven't told Hermione and Ron, I thought it was best to leave them out of it." Harry silently agreed.  
  
Harry got up and walked to the door. He had heard everything he needed to know. He turned back to say something but changed his mind. Smiling back at her, he turned to leave. "Remember, Harry, good will always overcome evil." She called to him as he closed the door.  
  
Harry trudged slowly back to the classroom that was now his living quarters. He wasn't looking forward to going back and seeing them. How could he look them in the eye after they had heard him say the killing curse? It made sense now as to why Hermione wouldn't. He loved them so much but he had changed to them and now he was losing them.  
  
When Harry reached the classroom he found them both asleep on Ron's bed. Had they finally got together? Harry smiled as he walked over to his own bed. It was times like this that would need someone and they couldn't have picked better people to be with. He sat on his bed for a while just staring into space. He looked at his watch and decided to go to the owlery. It wasn't late and he certainly wasn't tired after being asleep for nearly two weeks.  
  
Harry took his time walking to the owlery. He was thinking about everything that had happened in his life. There was so much that had happened. He just wished he could have shared it all with his parents; maybe he would have had brothers and sisters if they had lived.  
  
As soon as he walked into the owlery, Hedwig hooted and flew down to his him and sat on his shoulder. She nuzzled his ear affectionately, which tickled him.  
  
"Missed me?" He asked laughing. "How've you been?" She hooted loudly and then put a wing out for him to look at. He was puzzled as to what she was showing him then he realised, it was her broken wing. She liked to have it rubbed when it was cold so he sat against a wall and placed her on the floor in front of him.  
  
Harry spent nearly an hour just rubbing her wing, letting all kinds of thoughts and memories whirl around his head. He was seriously wishing that he had bought a Pensieve. He only snapped out of it when Weldon came swooping in from his nights hunt and settled by Hedwig.  
  
"How are you, Weldon?" He hooted animatedly, softly pecked his hand and then flew off. He landed on the highest perch and settled himself in. "I best be going too." Harry stood up and offered Hedwig his arm. She hopped on to it and started to playfully peck at him. "I'll see you tomorrow." She flew up to Weldon's perch and snuggled against. It seemed that Ron and Hermione weren't the only ones to find someone to be with.  
  
By the time Harry got back to the classroom, he had come to a decision. He wasn't ready to die. He loved his friends and would do anything for them but he just wasn't ready to die. He had too many things he needed to do and see. He sat on his bed and looked over at Ron and Hermione who were still asleep. He wanted to see them get married, it was early days, he knew that, but he just knew they were meant for each other and it would happen. He wanted to see them have a family. He wanted to see his missing friends safe and sound. He wanted someone of his own to love and be with.  
  
Harry felt guilty but that was his decision, he was not ready to give up on life.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer:** I spoke to JK Rowling and she still isn't ready to give me ownership of Harry and Co.

**A/N:** I can't believe you're still here reading this Super.....I am so grateful. Where is everyone else.......is my story that bad people? Come on.......speak to me........I don't bite........honest. Review please................pur-leeeeeeaaaaaaaaassssseeee.

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Chapter Sixteen  
  
Harry woke up and grabbed his glasses. Putting them on, he sat up and looked around the room. Something had woken him up but he wasn't sure what. All he could remember was a feeling of someone near him. He looked across at Hermione and Ron. Ron was softly snoring while Hermione was now in her own bed talking in her sleep.  
  
Harry was wide awake now and there was nothing he could do about it. He got out of bed and went to his trunk to get out his slippers and dressing gown. He hadn't unpacked but he wasn't sure if he should anyway. Ron and Hermione had unpacked their stuff and made it their own little place and Harry felt that he didn't belong in that room with them anymore.  
  
Harry put his slippers and dressing gown on and quietly opened and shut the door behind him. He had decided on a midnight snack or something along those lines, just as long as it made him tired again.  
  
As Harry walked into the kitchen he was instantly bombarded by twelve house-elves.  
  
"What can we gets sir?" One of them asked.  
  
"Would sir be liking to eat?" Another one asked.  
  
"Just a hot drink to help me sleep and maybe some biscuits." He asked. Within seconds he was sat down at a table with some chocolate biscuits and large mug of hot chocolate. "Thank you." They all stood around waiting for his next command. "How come you aren't in bed?"  
  
"We is night staff. We is sleeping in the day." One explained.  
  
"You can carry on with what you were doing. Thank you for the drink and biscuits." The elves all bowed so low that their noses were touching the floor. They all disappeared one by one to who knows where.  
  
Harry sat there drinking his drink and every now and then dunking his biscuit in it. He was just about to start on his fourth biscuit when the door opened and all the house-elves popped back in.  
  
Harry's heart skipped a beat when he saw who it was. Throwing the biscuit back down, he got up and ran over to them like he was a small child running to his mother.  
  
"How have you been, Harry?"  
  
"I've been fine. Had a bit of a battering and some shocking news but the more important question is how are you?" He asked as he pulled away from the hug he had been enveloped in.  
  
"I'm fine, little battered myself but I've been worse before now." They went to sit at the table, waving the house-elves away. Harry suddenly remembered the presence he had felt.  
  
"Was you in our room before?"  
  
"Yes. I came straight to Minerva and when she told me you were all here I just had to see for myself." They sat their in silence for a little while, just enjoying this moment of seeing each other for the first time in months.  
  
"Have you heard about what's happened with me?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yes. Just make sure you are not hasty in your decisions because you have this knowledge."  
  
"You sound just like Minerva. She said the same thing."  
  
"Smart woman if you ask me." They sat in silence again but it was beginning to feel like an awkward silence.  
  
"Are you tired?" Harry asked, having a thought.  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Come with me. There are two people who will be extremely happy to see you." Harry gestured to be followed out of the kitchen.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling is still not budging about giving me the rights. They still belong to her.

**A/N: **Thanks again to Super......you're a real review angel. Isis, you take your time on reading my story. I'll get to yours soon now that I know what you are callled on here. Ellar, I'm glad you like my story and don't think it is that bad. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter..........you know what's next.........please review.........pretty pretty pretty please.

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Chapter Seventeen  
  
"Remus." Hermione said, waking up fully when she saw who was shaking her.  
  
"Wha-" Ron shot up, looking around through sleepy eyes. Hermione was out of her bed and hugging Remus tightly. "REMUS!" Ron fumbled to get out of bed. "Bloody hell, mate. Where've you been?" Hermione let go of Remus so that Ron could hug him. Harry stayed at the doorway and watched the scene unfold. It had been a while since he had seen his friends happy.  
  
"Where were you, Remus?" Hermione pulled him to the chairs by the fireplace. "You had us worried sick." She scolded as she urged for him to sit down, with Ron joining them.  
  
Harry walked over and sat on his bed and watched his friends talk. They hadn't noticed him and he wanted to keep it that way.  
  
They were still chatting when it started to get light outside. It turned out that Remus had been watching some Death Eaters movements for a few months. He couldn't send word to anyone that he was fine because he thought the owls might give away his hide-out.  
  
"That reminds me. We need to have a meeting with everyone." Remus informed them rather loudly causing Harry to fall off his bed with fright. He had been sat at the edge and was starting to nod off.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione raced over to help him up. "Where were you yesterday? When did you get back?" She grabbed his arm and pulled him up. She froze just as he stood up fully. "And how long have you been watching us?" Harry straightened himself out and looked at her. She still wouldn't look him in the eye.  
  
"I just thought I should stay away." Remus looked confused by this comment.  
  
"I think I'll go and get everyone together for the meeting. Come to Minerva's office in about thirty minutes." Remus left and closed the door after him.  
  
"We never meant to make you feel uncomfortable." Ron told him apologetically as he walked over to them. At least he looked Harry in the eye. "It's just-"  
  
"Don't worry, you don't need to explain. I spoke to McGonagall yesterday and she told me everything." Harry sat back down on his bed and took a sudden interest in his knees. "I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to stay away from me. Especially now that Voldemort-"  
  
"Stop flinching, Ron." Hermione scolded.  
  
"Can now be linked to me like that."  
  
"Harry," Hermione knelt down in front of him and Ron sat next to him. Hermione took his hands and finally looked into his eyes. "We love you. No matter what happens we will always stick together. Just us three." Harry smiled. Just hearing those words made his heart feel lighter. "And don't you dare believe it's your fault that any of this happened."  
  
"But Hermione, you pa-"He was soon cut off by Ron.  
  
"The Dark Lord killed them, Harry, not you. It's his fault they're dead, not yours." Harry felt his eyes welling up with tears. He had his friends back.  
  
"I just wish I could get them back for you." Harry's tears started to fall down his cheeks. Hermione moved to sit next to him and gave him a hug.  
  
"We just see it as they are not suffering anymore. They don't have to wonder when Voldemort will next attack." She whispered into his ear.  
  
"I know they weren't my family but I will still miss them." Harry sniffed as he pulled away from Hermione.  
  
"Course they were your family, Harry. My parents wouldn't have had it any other way." Ron comforted him by putting an arm around him.  
  
"And mine." Hermione added. "They may not have seen you often but they loved the both of you for taking care of me. I'm just sorry we haven't been supportive of you. We've had time to grieve, you haven't and we treated you like that when you woke up." Harry smile and pulled them both into a hug.  
  
"It's ok. I don't blame you for acting like that. If it had been me I probably would have done the same." Harry hugged them tighter and then let go. "We have to say goodbye to them properly though." He stood up and turned to face them.  
  
"Like a memorial service?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded in response.  
  
"That would be nice." Ron said thoughtfully. "I just hope the rest of them get back soon or at least let us know they are safe. I don't think mum could handle another death, especially if it's Charlie or Bill." Hermione shuffled over to him and hugged him. Harry felt awkward watching them so he got some clothes and went to get a quick shower before the meeting.  
  
Harry got back feeling clean and refreshed but found that Ron and Hermione hadn't moved from where he had left them.  
  
"So when were you two going to tell me that you had finally got together?" Harry asked from the end of the bed. Both of them jumped at the sound of his voice. Hermione stood up blushing.  
  
"How did you know?" She asked more the floor than Harry.  
  
"I saw you both asleep together when I came back last night." He told them.  
  
"Hang on, what do you mean by 'finally'?" Ron asked as he stood up and put his arm round Hermione's waist.  
  
"Oh, come on. It was only a matter of time. You were always jealous of each other when you were with someone." Harry laughed. They both blushed and Ron was almost the same colour as his hair. "Anyway you two, you need to hurry up. We've got to be at this meeting in a few minutes." Harry laughed as he watch them race around the room, coming in and out and bumping into each other. He had never seen two people be so clumsy.  
  
They arrived at the meeting ten minutes late. They all barged in flushed from running. They had barely got the door closed behind them when Mrs. Weasley rushed over to them and hugged them all together. She was obviously hurting a lot and she only had Fred and George to keep her company when usually she would look after a large group of people. They found Remus stood by Professor McGonagall who was sat at her desk. Fred and George were by the window at the back of the room, deep in conversation. Kingsley Shacklebolt was sat on a chair to the side of the room, simply watching the others.  
  
"Shall we get the meeting started now that everyone is here?" Remus asked.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Harry Potter, but I can say that I own the books.

**A/N:** Super......still here......just don't disappear.....the story's nearly over. Ellar.....I know what you mean about it being a little fast but I thought the story was being dragged out a little bit too much and I needed to do that to get them to where they are going in the next couple of chapters. Nutto.....I got your reviews for the first three chapters as I was editing this. Glad to see you finally got here. Enjoy the rest. Everyone else.......you know what's coming......feel free to hide.........PLEASE REVIEW........the story's nearly over and I still don't know if many of you like it..............or hate it. See you at the next chapter.

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Chapter Eighteen  
  
The meeting took them into the afternoon. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Remus were all beginning to look tired. They couldn't stop though. Remus had some shocking news for them all that they needed to act on now.  
  
The Death Eaters he had been watching were planning a siege on Hogsmeade the following night. There had been no mention of Voldemort being part of it but he was quite clearly the brains behind it. The plan was to take control of Hogsmeade so that they were closer to being able to take control of Hogwarts.  
  
"What do you suggest we do, Remus?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a shaky voice.  
  
"I suggest we go to Hogsmeade and round up as many people as we can. I also suggest that we act now and go straight to the village. We must be careful though, there will be Death Eaters there watching the place ready for their attack." Everyone got up and started to leave. When it was just Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor McGonagall left, she stopped them.  
  
"I think it best that you stay here. We're not ready for anyone to know that you are here, Harry. Also," She continued when Hermione opened her mouth. "If you two are seen then they will know Harry is nearby." She had a point. They walked down the staircase together and bid them all goodbye and good-luck at the bottom.  
  
The three friends decided on some lunch so they made a detour to the kitchen to pick up some food. The house-elves practically threw everything they had at them along with a couple of pitchers of pumpkin juice. They also found Ally to be sporting the Hogwarts uniform. She nearly burst into tears when Hermione asked about it. She stuttered that her clothes were dirty, Hermione would only let her wear clothes, and that this was temporary. Then she proceeded to bang her head on the table.  
  
It took them nearly an hour, from leaving the meeting, to get back to their room. Their arms were so full with food and drink that if someone had come along and blew on them, they more than likely would have fallen over.  
  
They were sat in the chairs, full and sleepy. Just as Harry started to fall asleep, an idea popped into his head. He jumped up and grabbed his wand from his bedside table.  
  
"Come on you two. Get your wand and meet me in the classroom next door." Both of them nearly fell off their chairs when Harry moved suddenly but they did as they were told.  
  
"What are we doing, Harry?" Hermione asked as she shut the door to the classroom.  
  
"We're going to practice some curses." Harry flicked his wand at the desk and they all moved to the side, nearly sending Ron with them. He'd been out of action for nearly two weeks but magic was coming back to him so easily. "We need to be prepared for tomorrow night somehow. So we will start with protecting ourselves." Hermione positively beamed at the suggestion. Ron started whining about being too full. "Alright, you're both going to practice on me. Hermione, you can go first. Ron..........go sit somewhere."  
  
"What are we practicing?" Hermione asked all giddily.  
  
"You are going to practice the Imperius curse on me." Hermione's face dropped.  
  
"No way." She told him as she walked to where Ron was sitting. Ron seemed to be more alert now and paying attention.  
  
"Hermione, you have to. I need both of you to be able to protect yourselves. If I lost either one of you I couldn't cope." Hermione looked at him thoughtfully. "Come on, it won't harm me, I can throw it off in a couple of minutes. Just long enough for you to keep a hold of me." Hermione looked as though she was having a personal battle within. Ron just sat there opened mouth, not sure what to say about the situation. Eventually she agreed but under the condition that her and Ron be put under it as well so that they could learn to fight it off. Harry agreed, he thought it best to keep quiet about getting them to practice the Cruciatus curse on him until it was time.  
  
Harry and Hermione stood in the middle of the classroom and faced each other.  
  
"Now concentrate and want it more than anything." Harry told her. Hermione closed her eyes for a few seconds and then opened them. With a look of pure concentration on her face she tried it.  
  
"IMPERIO!" She yelled as she pointed the wand to him. Nothing.  
  
"You have to want to control me." Harry urged.  
  
"IMPERIO!" Still nothing.  
  
"Concentrate, Hermione." He pushed.  
  
"IMPERIO!" Nothing again.  
  
"Hermione, I've just started ripping up a library book and you want me to-"  
  
"IMPERIO!" Harry felt a dream state come over him then it was gone.  
  
"Nearly. You need to really want it, Hermione."  
  
"IMPERIO!" Harry went into the dream state again but it lasted longer and then left him.  
  
"AGAIN!" He yelled at her.  
  
"IMPERIO!" He slipped into a dream state for the third time but his time it seemed to hold. Harry felt so happy and then a little voice in his head was saying tap dance.  
  
'Seems good.' He thought. He was just about to start but stopped. He didn't want to.  
  
"Tap dance." It said again.  
  
"I don't want to." He pouted. Harry found himself back in the classroom. "You did it, Hermione." He told her smiling. She looked like she wanted to be pleased but shouldn't be. They did it a couple more times before Ron took his turn. Ron needed a few more tries than Hermione but he got there eventually. When it came to Harry's turn he was amazed at how few tries he needed.  
  
Getting Ron and Hermione to do the curse was a lot easier compared to getting them to throw it off. Harry had Hermione doing Olympic style gymnastics all around the room before she started to fight it and even then she didn't throw it off completely. Ron was doing a full opera concerto before he even attempted to fight it off. They finally got it down to a couple of commands before they could throw it off but it still wasn't as quick as Harry.  
  
Just when they thought they had it cracked, Ron and Hermione thought it was time to get some more food and some sleep before the others came back. Harry had other plans.  
  
"Hold it. I need you to do one more thing for me." Harry locked the door with his wand and locked the spell so that they couldn't get out.  
  
"What are you doing, Harry?" Ron asked getting worried.  
  
"I know that if I leave that door unlocked you won't do this favour for me."  
  
"Harry, you're scaring me." Hermione said through a shaky voice.  
  
"I don't mean to, I promise. It's just I need you to practice one more curse on me but I won't be practicing it on you." Harry told them.  
  
"No." Ron told him plainly.  
  
"You haven't heard what I was going to ask."  
  
"Harry, we are not going to practice the Cruciatus on you. Forget it." Hermione gasped.  
  
"How could you ask us to do that?" She asked completely shocked.  
  
"Because I want you to be able to protect yourself, no matter what. I need you to do that for me and I will never ask of anything from you again. I mean it when I say I couldn't cope losing you." Hermione shook her head. Ron looked slightly annoyed. "Please." He pleaded.  
  
"Why won't you practice on us?" Ron asked him.  
  
"I don't want you to feel it. I've felt it before. I can handle what's coming. If you practice this on me then you will never have to feel it. You'll be able to protect yourselves before the Death Eater knows what has hit them."  
  
"What makes you think that we can't handle it?" Hermione asked softly.  
  
"I don't. What I'm saying is I won't let you handle it. Just please do this for me." They stood in silence for a few minutes before Ron mumbled.  
  
"I'll do it." He was that quiet, that Harry had to ask him what he said.  
  
"RON!" Hermione gasped.  
  
"What? I don't want to do it but he's got a point. They aren't going to stop just because we asked them to. We have to give back what they give to us." Hermione stared at him wide-eyed.  
  
"Please, Hermione." Harry begged her again. It took her longer this time to agree to do it but not before she tried her best to get him to practice on them.  
  
"Why can't we use spiders, just like when we were shown the curses?" She asked.  
  
"Spiders don't need as much energy as humans. We need to know how much power we need to put into it." He explained to her. "Ok, Ron. You go first." Ron shuffled to face him. Hermione went to the side of the classroom and turned her back on them. "You have to want to hurt me with all your heart." Ron nodded.  
  
"Are you ready?" He asked. Harry took a deep breath and nodded.  
  
"CRUCIO!" He yelled with all the hate he could muster. Harry felt a slight twinge in his stomach, as though someone had pricked him with a needle.  
  
"You need to hate me, Ron."  
  
"CRUCIO!" Harry felt a trickle at his nose. He had a nose bleed. 'Sorry for this, Ron.' He thought to himself. He stepped towards him.  
  
"I'm your link to killing Voldemort. I could turn on you in a moments notice. I could rip Hermione apart right now." He told him as he edged forward towards him. Ron's face filled with hate when he said that, Hermione started sobbing.  
  
"CRUCIO!" Harry felt something push him to the end of the room. He got up and carried on moving forward to Ron.  
  
"I'm the reason your family are dead. I'm the reason you had to leave them."  
  
"CRUCIO!" Harry dropped to the floor in agony. It felt as though he was being stabbed by a thousand knives, his whole body was on fire. Then it stopped. Harry looked at Ron, he had a look of shock on his face and his wand was down. He got up, breathlessly.  
  
"Do it again." Ron shook his head. "Do....it...again." He said slowly as he marched forward to him. Ron flung his arm up, his face now contorted with hate.  
  
"CRUCIO!" It started again. The pain was worse than he remembered. He felt as though every bone in his body was shattering. This time it last a few seconds longer. Harry's body still throbbed as he got up. Ron was on his knees with his head in his hands. Harry walked over and knelt in front of him.  
  
"Thank you." He said trying to get a decent breath inside of him. Ron flung his arms around Harry and started to cry.  
  
"I'm so sorry. I hated you so much, it was horrible." Harry pulled him away and pushed his arms to his side, keeping them there.  
  
"Just remember that hate tomorrow. Remember it, Ron and don't let go of it till it's over. Understand?" Ron nodded. They both got up. Ron moved to the side. "Hermione."  
  
"NO!" She shouted without turning around. Harry stumbled towards her, feeling every bone in his body scream in protest. He turned her around and guided her to the middle of the classroom. He took her wand from her pocket and placed it in her hand. She wasn't crying but then she wasn't doing much else except swaying on the spot. Harry moved away from her and faced her.  
  
"Hermione." Harry pushed. She shook her head. "Is that what you're going to do when they torture, Ron?" Ron started to cry now. She stared down at the floor. "Would you have done that if you had seen them kill your parents? Would you have just stood there and let them get tortured." Hermione was starting to tremble. "What about Ginny, your best girl friend, would you have just stood there and let her die? What if none of the others ever come back, wouldn't you want revenge?"  
  
"CRUCIO!" She screamed with such venom. Harry collapsed instantly to the floor, the pain completely taking over. It lasted longer than Ron's. When it stopped, Harry looked at Hermione's face. It was contorted with fury. Harry struggled to get up but he did it.  
  
"I'm not down, Hermione." He smirked at her to get her more annoyed.  
  
"CRUCIO!" He was down again but this time he passed out from the pain. He woke up a few minutes later to find his best friends leaning over them, crying. "I thought I had killed you." She sobbed as she buried her head into his chest.  
  
"I'm fine." He gasped. "You did it first time. I'm so proud of you both. You'll never be hurt now with that under your belt. You couldn't have given me a better birthday present." Hermione's head shot up.  
  
"Oh my god. I totally forgot. I'm so sorry."  
  
"Sorry, mate." Ron added. They both helped him up and helped him over to a table. Harry took his wand out and unlocked the door.  
  
"I just need both of you to know," Harry started between breaths, "that I needed to say those things to get you to hate me. I would-"  
  
"Shhhh." Hermione hugged him. "We understand, you needed to hit a raw nerve or we would never have done it." Harry smiled at them.  
  
"I know I shouldn't be but I am so proud of you both. You picked it up so much quicker than I thought you would." They both nodded silently. Without saying anything, all three of them understood each other. Ron and Hermione had scared themselves at how quick they had picked the curse up but knew that it was for the best that they learnt it.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Disclaimer: **JK still won't budge on giving me the rights.......I'll just have to come up with my own story then.

**A/N: **Super......I can't believe you can't wait for me to start my next fan fic. Thanks for being such a devoted reader and reviewer. Ellar.......glad you like the chapter....this story is almost finished so I'll give you an email when I start to type up my next fan fic. This was a really hard chapter for me to write. I had to get it exactly right so if anyone sees any problems with it..........apart from the obvious............please tell me. Now, this is my second to last chapter so please, please review. Enjoy and don't hate me too much.

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Chapter Nineteen  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione fell asleep and were woken up a few hours later by Mrs. Weasley. It was time for dinner. Harry got up and was in agony.  
  
'It's all worth it.' He thought to himself as he struggled to get his shoes back on. 'Just knowing that they can use that curse if need be is worth its weight in gold.'  
  
"Harry, are you alright, you look a little peaky?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she felt his forehead with the back of her hand. Hermione and Ron instantly looked at him. She was right; he looked like the walking dead.  
  
"I'm fine." He lied. "Just a little tired. That's all." She smiled at him and gave him a cuddle. Her eyes were dead though, they didn't smile anymore.  
  
They all had dinner in the great hall with everyone sat at the staff table. It was a quiet affair. Harry couldn't face his food, he kept pushing it round his plate. Hermione and Ron were worried about him. They had caused this.  
  
After dinner, there was another meeting to go over the plan. The group had managed to tell nearly everyone in the village what was going to happen the next night. They just hoped they hadn't managed to warn a Death Eater that they were ready. They talked to the early hours of the morning going over and over the plan. The plan was to have everyone scattered out in shops, just biding their time. The people in the village were to go about their business and be prepared for the attack. At first the group were not happy about the three friends coming with them but they realised that they couldn't wrap them up in cotton wool forever. If Voldemort was turn to up then they were to disperse and only aim for the Death Eaters.  
  
The meeting came to an end when Hermione's head banged on the table as she fell asleep. They were to get up at the crack of dawn and practice duelling.  
  
The next morning, Harry was glad to be woken up. He had had a dreadful dream about someone being very excited about something and Ron and Hermione kept screaming at him to stop but he didn't know what he was doing. Ron and Hermione looked as though they hadn't slept very well but it wasn't half as bad as what Harry looked like. He really felt like death warmed up. The curse he had gone through must have really shaken up his system. Hermione tried to get him to stay in bed but to him, if he was well enough to stand then he was well enough to practice duelling.  
  
The group had breakfast quickly and quietly. They wanted to get straight to business. The first thing that Remus got them all to do was the Patronus charm. The dementors had aligned themselves with Voldemort so the chances were that they were going to be there. Remus used the boggart that had been secretly hiding in Professor McGonagall's wardrobe. They took it in turns with Harry always staying by it so that it assumed the dementors form. Every now and then it managed to become people's fears but Harry literally pounced on it so that it turned back. Kingsley got a perfectly formed panther first time round. Mrs. Weasley had to have a couple of goes before she even managed to get some sort of shield. Professor McGonagall refused to give up until it became a form instead of shield. She finally got there with a cat. Even though it was just a small animal, it was still powerful, the same with Hermione's, which turned into an otter and had the boggart-dementor cowering on the floor. Ron got a shield on his third go and was completely happy with just that. Fred got a magpie and George got a fox. Remus didn't have a go. He had enough practice from when he was in hiding. Harry took a couple of goes before finally getting his stag. He was beaming when it cantered around the shape shifter.  
  
When everyone was confident with them, they then moved onto duelling. They had to throw whatever they had at their sparring partner. Harry gave a warning look at Ron and Hermione to make sure that they didn't slip up and perform the unforgivable curses on someone. Remus paired them up, putting himself with Harry. Remus caught Harry off-guard when he threw a tickling hex at him. Harry was on the floor in tears laughing. Harry threw a jelly- leg curse at him through his fits of giggles but Remus just deflected it. Remus performed the counter-curse on Harry to give him a fighting chance of throwing a decent hex without laughing. He threw a boils curse as Remus moved forward to help him, making his face look horribly distorted. He then threw a laughing charm at him so that he couldn't throw any hexes back at him. Harry finished him off by disarming him. He took a quick look around to find everyone with some sort of disfigurement. Harry seemed to have got off lightly. That was until Hermione deflected Ron's twitching eye hex and it went straight to Harry. He still had a slight twitch when she had done the counter-curse. Remus had cleared up his boils after Harry had taken the laughing charm off him and they started duelling again.  
  
Before they knew it, it was lunch time. As they were practicing in the great hall anyway, it wasn't too much hassle to move from one place to another. Everyone was still reeling from side affects of the hexes and curses. Harry's eye only twitched every other minute now. Ron couldn't stop skipping and skipped over to the table. Hermione would suddenly start doing a dance every ten minutes. Ron couldn't remember what he had said for the incantation so they had to let it wear off. Remus had a black eye from an extremely powerful slapping hex that Harry sent him. The rest of them had little disfigurements here and there which they got rid of with a point of the wand.  
  
They were just about to finish lunch when Hermione suddenly got up and started dancing sexily round the table. She blushed furiously when she shimmied up to Remus.  
  
"For pity's sake, Ron. Will you try and remember the incantation." She called to him as she started spinning on the spot like a ballerina. "I can't be doing this tonight." She then started to do some break dancing.  
  
"I remember this spell." Mrs. Weasley piped up. "Distanta." She pointed her wand at Hermione and she nearly went smack on to the floor, face first, but Remus with his quick reflexes caught her just in time. Everyone stared at Mrs. Weasley. She started blushing. "I put that spell on me when I was sixteen. It was to impress Arthur when he took me to a summer ball." She smiled at the memory.  
  
"Well, we should get down to the village." Remus said, standing up. Everyone's faces instantly became solemn. Harry wasn't ready for this. His body was burning in protest to what it had been put through in the last couple of days. Hermione had started to shake. Ron warped his arm around her shoulders. Fred and George were extremely quiet. Harry hadn't really spoken to them but they seemed to be in a world that just involved them two.  
  
The walk down to the village was over too quickly for Harry. They immediately separated to go to their waiting spots. For Harry, it was the Three Broomsticks, by himself. Hermione was sent to Madam Puddifoot's and Ron had been sent to Dervish and Banges. The trio had been split up and it made them feel very vulnerable.  
  
Harry got himself a butterbeer and sat at the bar talking to Madam Rosmerta. She seemed very nervous. She kept cleaning the same glass over and over again.  
  
"It's nice to see you again, anyway, Harry." She said for the third time in an hour.  
  
"You too." Harry replied. She was starting to make him feel more nervous.  
  
'What if I forget all the hexes I know?' Harry thought to himself and as he scanned the bar. 'What if I can't say anything or do anything?' Then another voice shouted in his head. 'You have to protect them. You can't afford to forget anything so snap out of it.' Harry shook his head and took another sip of his drink.  
  
The hours seemed to pass by extremely fast, too fast for Harry. Before he knew it, it was dark outside. He was about to start on his third drink but a bunch of screams from outside put a stop to that. His heart jumped into his throat. There was complete silence in the pub as the screams carried on from outside. All at once, everyone scrambled, with their wands at the ready, to get outside. Harry was one of the last ones out and his heart started to beat wildly at the sight in front of him. There were Death Eaters everywhere with a few dementors thrown in for good measure. One of the dementors came straight for Harry but he threw an effortless Patronus charm at it. Death Eaters were throwing random hexes and curses at people. He threw a stunning spell at the one nearest to him, knocking him out on his first go. He grabbed the scruff of his shirt and dragged him into the pub. With a flick of his wand, he tied him up. He repeated this with another four Death Eaters then thought it best that he stop before they started to clock on to what he was doing. None of them seemed to notice that Harry Potter was right in front of them, theirs for the taking.  
  
Harry raced down the High street, throwing curse after curse as he ran. Where were Ron and Hermione? He raced past Remus who was locked in a battle. Then he saw it, a flash of bushy brown hair. Following it, it led him through an alleyway.  
  
"HERMIONE!" He shouted. She whirled around on the spot.  
  
"HARRY, WHERE'S RON?" She shouted over the screams and bangs. She ran back to him, dodging any hexes that were thrown at her.  
  
"I DON'T KNOW!" He grabbed her hand when she got near and dragged her back out into the street to find Ron. There were people lay on the floor everywhere. Buildings were on fire. They raced towards Dervish and Banges and found Ron, unconscious at the entrance. Harry and Hermione dragged him into the shop and locked the door after them. "Enervate." Hermione muttered as she pointed the wand at him.  
  
"What happened?" He asked as he sat up.  
  
"You got knocked out." Harry informed him. The screams were becoming more piercing. "Ready to go back out?" They all stood up and Hermione unlocked the door. Harry froze as soon as he stepped onto the street. His scar had erupted on fire. The stabbing pains were so bad that he couldn't see.  
  
"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked, pushing him back into the shop.  
  
"Voldemort's here." He gasped. He was clutching his head.  
  
"Are you sure?" Ron asked. Harry nodded, opening his eyes and trying to adjust to the pain.  
  
"Come on. We can't stay here forever." Harry told them as he barged back out of the shop. The three of them stayed close together, fighting off the Death Eaters and dementors. They couldn't see Voldemort anywhere, but Harry could feel him. They were starting to get backed into a corner. Harry told them to start using the Cruciatus curse. Hermione went straight to the one in front of her and did it one go. She refused to let the curse go. The other Death Eaters nearby to her ran off, in fear of her power. Ron wasn't as lucky, he got hit by another stunning spell. They both raced over to him. While Hermione woke him up again, Harry took in the scene around him. It seemed to suddenly go in to slow motion as he looked at everything. There were people lay on the floor, eyes open in horror. Dead. People were bloody up, battered, stumbling around. Buildings were burning to the ground. Not one building was safe from the roaring flames. He couldn't see any of his friends around.  
  
'This needs to stop now.' Harry thought to himself. His scar burst into a fresh wave of pain as he looked down the street and saw Voldemort. He was laughing coldly at everything around him. Harry knew then what he had to do. He turned to face his friends. They looked at him in confusion, not sure to what he was doing.  
  
"I need you two to promise me something."  
  
"Harry, I don't like that voice." Ron said, sitting up. Harry carried on, ignoring him.  
  
"I need you to promise me that you'll get married when this is over. I want you to stay together forever and have a big family."  
  
"Harry, what are-"Hermione was soon cut off.  
  
"Will you do that for me? Raise your kids well and always love them, even when they misbehave and test you."  
  
"Harry?" Ron was panicking now. What was his friend going to do?  
  
"Promise me?" He urged.  
  
"We promise." They said in unison.  
  
"But, Harry, you're gonna be there for it all." Ron continued. Harry looked around to see Voldemort was nearing them. They had been lucky to have not been killed by Death Eaters yet. He turned back to face them, smiling at them through tears.  
  
"I'll certainly be there in spirit. Please don't say anything. I'm going to give you the future you both deserve. All the pain is going to stop now." Hermione was crying. He hugged them both with everything that he had. He stood up, smiled once more at them and walked away from them to Voldemort. He stalked towards him till he was stood in front of him. He seemed to be shocked yet pleased to see Harry.  
  
'You have no idea.' Harry thought to himself. He had his face twisted in a weird smile. He wasn't ready to die but he had resigned himself to it for the sake of his family.  
  
"Hello, Harry." He said coolly, as though they were old friends meeting up.  
  
"Tom." Harry nodded. He laughed his cold laugh. The pain was searing in Harry's head but it would soon stop.  
  
"Ready to face up to your destiny?" He asked, rolling his finger up and down his wand.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be."  
  
"Death Eaters," He called. They all turned to face their master. "I have a gift for you all." He pointed at Harry. Before he knew it, they had circled Voldemort and himself. "He's yours." He said simply. Someone shouted it.  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" There was a bright green light and two figures slumped to the ground.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own Harry Potter and Co. She's a tough nut to crack is JK Rowling.

**A/N: **Well, people.......this is it........the end.......I've really enjoyed writing this. **Super** - Thanks for giving me all those reviews.....can't thank you enough. **Sparrow** - I'm sorry for being so mean.....glad you liked it though. **VoldemortsVeela** - How was it weird?......glad you're still here at the end though. **Dancer **- You really think my story is awesome? Thanks for reviewing. **WinterBliss **- You really thought my writing capability wasn't up to much at the beginning.......oh well......I'll try better next time......thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Everyone......well, what few fans I have.......you are about to find out what happened. Hope you all enjoyed it. Feel free to carry on reviewing and I'll see you all soon with my next Fan Fic. Enjoy.

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Chapter Twenty  
  
**One Month Later  
**  
The Great Hall was packed. The summer holidays were over and it was the start of a new school year. On this occasion, however, it wasn't just the students crowding the Great Hall. It was also parents, past students and teachers, friends of friends and families of the students who were there. All squashed into the Great Hall.  
  
The first years had been sorted into their houses and it was now time for the headmistress' speech. Professor McGonagall stood up and everyone instantly became quiet.  
  
"Today we not only start a new school year. Today we start a new life; a new beginning." Everyone cheered apart from a select few from the Slytherin table. "Today is a time of celebration but sadly marked with a time of grieving." A few people bowed their heads and crying could be heard. "Please, everyone stand as we remember those who are no longer with us. Those who fought for what was right." She unrolled a piece of parchment. "Will the friends and family raise their goblets when I read out their loved one's name." She had tears in her eyes.  
  
"Neville Longbottom. He was brave when it mattered most." Nearly all the adults there raised there glasses.  
  
"Arthur and Molly Weasley. May they always be together." Ron, who was stood with the teachers, had tears falling down his cheeks.  
  
"Elizabeth and David Granger. Two of the nicest muggles you could meet. Even without magic they fought fiercely to protect their daughter and her world." Hermione, who was stood by Ron, smiled through tears. Ron put a protective arm around her.  
  
"Ginny Weasley. May her fiery spirit continue to be with us." Professor McGonagall now had tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Nymphadora Tonks, or as she would like to be remembered, Tonks." Many people smiled at the memory of Tonks moaning about her name.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore. There never was a better head teacher." Everyone raised their goblets, including the Slytherin table. Professor McGonagall carried on reading names. There wasn't one person in the Great Hall who didn't know someone who was gone. When she finished, she rolled the parchment up and looked behind her, to Ron. He quickly wiped his tears and walked over to where she was stood. She placed a hand on his should for a few seconds then joined the rest of the staff.  
  
Ron looked around the Great Hall. He found Fred and George at the back and they nodded at him. Bill and Charlie still hadn't been found. Percy had disowned his family a few years ago and refused to turn up. He took a deep breath and started.  
  
"This is such a happy time but a sad one as well for many. However, the sadness and grieving will soon become just as a memory for us all. We will always miss them but never forget them. We can now look to the future and see light not darkness. We have one person to thank for that." He felt a fresh wave of tears hit him. Looking up at the enchanted ceiling, he carried on. "We did it, Harry. Hermione and I got married last week." He motioned for Hermione to join him. Everyone was clapping for them and when it subsided, Hermione continued for Ron.  
  
"Every one of us will be eternally in debt to him. He wasn't ready to die but he wasn't prepared to see all of us suffer any more." Her cheeks were damp from all the tears. "There is only one thing he would ask of us in return. He would ask each and every one of you to protect your loved ones, love them with everything you have and never let go of each other. Give them a future to look forward to like he has given us." She couldn't say anymore. She returned back to where she had been stood and left Ron to carry on. Ron looked back up to the ceiling.  
  
"You look after everyone up there, Harry. You make sure they all know what you did for their friends and families." He looked back down to the sea of faces. He found it was a mixture of tears and smiles. He raised the goblet he had been holding and everyone followed.  
  
"To Harry Potter, the greatest person to have lived."  
  
"TO HARRY!" They all cheered.


End file.
